


Thirty Years

by uofmdragon



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Anniversary, M/M, Party, So Many Cameos, background Bruce Banner/Tony Stark - Freeform, background James 'Bucky' Barnes/Steve Rogers, background Jasper Sitwell/Melinda May, background Jessica Jones/Luke Cage, secret husbands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-09
Updated: 2014-01-09
Packaged: 2018-01-08 02:37:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1127348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uofmdragon/pseuds/uofmdragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At Phil's Thirty Years at SHIELD Party, he lets some things slip, like he has a husband.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thirty Years

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ralkana](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ralkana/gifts).



> Fluff, pure fluff for Ralkana who had a bad day. Beta'd by Pyroblaze18.

Phil relaxed into the couch, watching as his various team members, trainees, and agents all interacted with one another. He never thought he'd see them gathered under one roof, but they were all here. Everyone still alive from when he'd been a Level One agent and learning the ropes to his current team, including Strike Team Delta and the Avengers. Phil didn't like to think that they were all here for him, preferring to think that they wanted to take advantage of Stark's money that was footing the bill for this outrageous shindig.

Natasha was there, lovely as always. She seemed happier, but she'd left the Avengers spotlight to form a more covert squad of Avengers. She'd stolen a page from his own book and now led a successful strike team made up of agents and heroes who were better at being covert than in the spotlight. Phil wondered Captain America thought about a Black Ops Avengers team and what he thought about Bucky working so closely with his ex. Steve must not mind, since he was the leader of all the Avengers teams and made sure that not all superheroes were based in New York City.

Phil smiled, as he could remember finding a few of them when he'd first come back from the dead. There was Luke Cage, a former convict turned hero, with his wife Jessica and baby, Dani. They were in Chicago now, along with a few others, if Phil remembered correctly.

"Are you just going to sit here?" Carol asked, leaning over the back of the couch.

"I figure if they want to talk to me, they can come find me," Phil answered, smiling at her.

"True," Carol agreed.

"Where are you based now?" Phil asked. "I keep losing track of all the teams."

"It probably would help if someone wasn't out there finding all the superheros." Carol mock-glared at him. "We wouldn't have to keep reshuffling teams."

"Well, of course, mind you, no one found you," Phil teased, because Carol had presented herself to the Avengers for training when she'd gotten her powers, wanting to be on a team.

"Steve decided this city wasn't big enough for two Captains; I'm being sent to Malibu," Carol replied. "Got a promotion out of the deal."

"Oh?"

"Team lead for the West Coast."

"Nice work."

"He's sending me out there with Rhodes. I think it's because he's jealous that we're Air Force and he's only Army."

"Hey, watch it," Phil growled.

"Oh, that's right, you're Army too," Carol grinned. "I'm so sorry."

"Marines are better!" Clint yelled from across the room. Phil wasn't certain how Clint had heard them with all the conversations going on, but then it was Clint.

"Says the man who got drummed out of the corps!" Carol yelled back at him.

Phil spotted the finger that rose above all their heads and chuckled. 

Carol just shook her head. "No taste."

"Well at least we can all agree on one thing…" Phil started.

"Navy sucks," Carol finished for him. They grinned at one another.

"Hey, before I forget, I like the new uniform," Phil said.

"So do I," Carol said, straightening up. "I should go talk to some of my new teammates, figure out when everyone is going to head out there."

"Good luck with that," Phil murmured, watching her walk around the couch and slip into the party. 

She was the first of many to stop and talk to him. It turned out Luke was actually heading to DC to co-lead a team with his wife and best friend. They'd found a super-sitter to watch out for Dani, which Phil was relieved to hear, though he kind of wondered about a superhero calling themselves Squirrel Girl. Melinda and Jasper, fresh from their honeymoon, spoke to him at length about the plans for the international community and the pain of trying to keep a Shield Agent with each team. Apparently Clint and Natasha no longer counted, they'd gone native. Phil wondered how long until Sharon Carter also went native, but that wasn't his concern.

Phil wasn't too surprised when Nick stopped by to try to get him back in the field, but Phil was feeling tired. He'd built something and he could see it as he watched FitzSimmons discuss science with Bruce and Tony. Melinda, Natasha, Bobbi, and Sharon were all discussing combat techniques. Skye and Darcy had their heads together, which Phil decided should be someone else's problem, especially since Valkyrie and Sif were also involved. There was nothing that Nick could offer to get Phil to change his mind. Grant could lead the team now, because Grant had come a long way in the last few years. He could see the good in people and was happily laughing with a mix of Shield Agents and Avengers.

"Quiet!" Steve said, just loud enough to be heard over the din. Everyone fell quiet, with a few curious glances sent Steve's way. "We all know why we're here to celebrate Phil Coulson's thirty years of service to SHIELD."

There was polite clapping and a few cheers from the crowd. Phil would blame Barton for starting the 'Speech' chant. Phil sighed, and pushed himself up. "I want to thank you all for coming and enjoying Tony's food and alcohol."

"I'm sending you the bill, Agent!" Tony yelled.

"You are not," Pepper hissed.

"I never imagined that the Avengers would become so big that we have...six teams now?" Phil stated, glancing at Steve.

"Seven," Clint said.

"Seven?" Phil repeated.

"Someone has to train the next generation," Clint replied.

"I'm still wondering why they put the next generation in your hands, Barton, Kate's more mature than you," Tony heckled.

"Tony…" Steve warned.

Phil paused, meeting Clint's eyes through the crowd. "You're leading a team of Avengers?"

"Teenage Avengers," Clint said.

"That's… that's great news, honey, why didn't you tell me?" Phil asked.

"I was going to," Clint replied.

"I'm so proud of you," Phil murmured. He got to watch Clint blush and duck his head at that.

"Thanks, finish your speech, Phil," Clint encouraged.

"Ah, where was I?" Phil started, trying to think.

"You were about to explain why you called Clint, honey, boss!" Skye stated.

Phil blinked as he reran the conversation back in his head. Met Clint's eyes again, mouthing, 'Did I really?'

Clint nodded.

Phil motioned for him to come up and Clint slid through the crowds, moving to stand next to Phil.

"Where was I really?" Phil asked, when Clint got close enough.

"You were going to thank your loudmouth hacker and the first Bus team for supporting the Avengers in the background."

"Of course," Phil agreed. "As I was saying, the massive explosion of Avengers couldn't have happened without the support of Shield agents like Melinda, Grant, Jemma, Fitz, and Skye and all those that came after them." As he spoke, Clint has wrapped his arms around Phil and was subtly sticking their wedding rings on their fingers.

"It has been an honor to be a part of something that has become a force for good, to meet heroes, though not all of them have powers or abilities or are the world's greatest marksman…"

"Hey, how come birdbrain gets a special mention?" Tony interrupted.

"Shut it, Shellhead," Clint snapped back.

"I would really like to know why you're canoodling Agent Coulson," Darcy said. "It's kind of disturbing."

Phil glanced at him and saw Clint's subtle nod as Tony yelled at Steve for being a bad influence on Darcy. He was ready for this. "It's my party, I can canoodle with my husband, if I want."

"Your husband?" Tony yelled. Most of the room looked shocked, except for the corner of dangerous women—those four looked smug.

Phil tilted his head back and let Clint kiss him softly. Thirty years of Shield and he wasn't quite ready for retirement yet, but that was okay. There were still Avenger teams that needed a SHIELD liaison. He was just glad that Nick hadn't convinced him to join another project, because helping Clint train the next generation sounded like the best idea possible.


End file.
